Cupcake Kid
by aussiebabe290
Summary: Somehow, the six year old that had wandered into their lives was now sixteen and almost an adult- and Max had no idea how to handle that.
1. Chapter 1

"Hey hoes!" Beth Plumber bumped the door of the Williamsburg Diner open with her hip, dropping her backpack beside Earl's table and kissing his cheek. "Hey Earl".

"Hello darling", Earl smiled at the sixteen year old.

"Why are you so much like your mother?" Han wanted to know, putting his hands on his hips.

"Why are you so short?" her eyes sparkled as she shot the retort at him.

"This is unbelievable!" Han threw his hands up in the air.

"She's been taller than you since she was seven", Earl filled in.

"Where is my mother?" she wanted to know, taking the plate that Oleg was holding out.

"no!" max marched through the diner, plucking the plate from her hand and pointing to the booth that Beth had claimed almost ten years earlier. "You've got a history test tomorrow, sit".

"Hi". Beth kissed her cheek and Max smiled at her.

"Hello".

So much had changed since that six year old had marched into their lives, and yet things had managed to stay the same. They were still broke (although Max felt like they were rich, Caroline had never once thought that), they were still at the diner (although the cupcake shop was flourishing, Beth had taken up some of their night shifts)

"You've got a history test!" Caroline barged through the doors, wiping her hands on her apron. "Sit down and study!"

Unlike her mother, Beth was a straight A student. And in her final year of school, Caroline was convinced she was going to make it into an Ivy League school.

"I'm sitting, I'm studying". Beth grabbed her backpack and slid into the booth she had claimed as a six year old, crinkling her nose up at her mother and Caroline.

Seventeen years old and with an attitude to match, Beth Plumber was the image of her mother.

"Oh, but I have a date tonight". Beth shrugged, pulling out a handful of pens.

"What?" Caroline almost squawked, and Oleg gasped, sticking his head out the window.

"What?" he roared.

(He was the one to stand in the doorway on the evening of Beth's first date, shrieking threats about his shotgun down the hall.)

They were all protective of the little girl that Max had brought to the diner. Only, and Beth kept reminding them, that little girl wasn't so little anymore.

"With who?" Max wanted to know.

"Johnny and I are seeing a movie", she said smoothly.

Max let out a small sigh, grinning a little. "Its Johnny's night, is it?"

Johnny and Max had broken up for good when Beth was nine, and while she hadn't been keen on him to begin with, he had grown on the little girl and Beth had been heartbroken. So they agreed that every so often, Johnny would take his turn looking after her. He had taken her to the movies, out to dinner- Johnny and Beth had done all of New York City together. In his own words, he deserved at least part custody of the little girl. And even though she was sixteen (going on seventeen- and Caroline made a point of singing that to her at least once a day), she looked forward to their dates.

"Yeah- that okay?" she checked.

Max nodded. "Just make sure he brings you home".

Max had been winging it since the six year old had wandered into their lives. And ten, almost eleven years later, was still winging it. She had no idea what she was doing at least ninety percent of the time, and Beth knew it. Max had muddled her way through Beth's elementary school life, had somehow managed to survive the preteen with raging hormones and an attitude, before life threw Beth's dating scene at her.

But despite being raised by Max Black, Beth had turned out alright.


	2. Chapter 2

"BIG NEWS!"

Beth flung open the door of the diner, dropping her backpack beside Earl and kissing his cheek, before barging towards the kitchen.

"Max! Caroline!"

"What is she shrieking about?" Han wanted to know, walking out into the eatery and Oleg stuck his head out of the service window.

"Beth, what is wrong?"

"Where's my mother?"

"What the hell are you yelling about now?" max wanted to know, bumping the freezer door open with her hip and carrying a tray out on her hand. "Hello".

"Max, guess what?"

"I don't have time for guessing games", she dismissed. "What happened?"

"Kyle asked me out!"

"Who did what now?" Earl demanded, picking up his baseball bat and smacking it against the counter.

"Kyle!"

Caroline came flying out of the kitchen, throwing her arms around Beth and shrieking loudly.

"Who the hell is Kyle?" Oleg growled.

"Kyle, from my history class!"

"She's only had a crush on Kyle since the beginning of school!" Caroline gushed.

"Wait, I thought you didn't like Kyle", Max interrupted. "Isn't he that douche that-"

"No Max, that was you. You don't like Kyle".

"There's probably a reason Max doesn't like Kyle", Han spoke up, and Beth grinned.

"Max, he's really nice. He wants to meet you!"

"He doesn't want to meet Max", Caroline observed. "And he doesn't want to meet Oleg and Earl and Sophie either. Awww, I'm happy for you cupcake!"

"Ahh, hello?" Han waved his arms around. "What about me?"

"You're not going to hurt him Han". Beth shrugged. "Max, we're gonna go to the movies on Saturday night. I can go, right?"

That was where Beth and Max differed. Where Max had snuck out and her mother had been none the wiser.

When Beth had first moved in with Max and Caroline, she and Max had definitely shared more of a friendly relationship, rather than mother and daughter. But over the years things had changed- but Beth still had her, tough as nails Max Black, wrapped around her little finger. When she was younger she'd give her puppy dog eyes and drop her bottom lip and Max would cave and little had changed.

"I've had dates before", Beth reminded them, folding her arms across her chest stubbornly.

They knew. They'd waited up inside the girls' apartment waiting for her to return, waiting to interrogate the poor boy who'd had the nerve to ask their Beth out.

"But not with Kyle!" Caroline bumped her hip against Beth's and the younger girl blushed.

"That looks serious", Earl said in concern, picking up the baseball bat again.

"She really likes him", Caroline giggled and Beth put her head on her shoulder, blushing.

"Stop".

"Max?" Beth said hopefully, her eyes widening a little and Caroline smirked, knowing how close Max was to giving in.

"Fine", she said finally. "But I want to meet the asshole-"

"Max!"

"That has the nerve to ask out my kid. And we're gonna lay down the law, little lady. You tell him that".

"Max you're the best!" Beth threw her arms around her, kissing her cheek, before grabbing her backpack and running out the door.

"You're just gonna let her go out with that douchebag?" Oleg said incredulously.

"I don't like that, Max", Earl worried.

"She'll be fine", Caroline told them, and Max sighed heavily.

"God knows you're no good at picking up the pieces when she does fall apart".


	3. Chapter 3

"He can't pick me up from the diner!" Beth said suddenly, slamming the cutlery onto Sophie's usual booth. "I work here!"

"He can't pick you up from home!" Caroline retorted. "We live there!"

"Well this is a situation". She frowned heavily.

* * *

Sixteen year olds were hard work. Max knew that because there was a sixteen year old trashing her house, looking for something to wear on her date.

"For the love of God just put some pants on and get out of there!" Max almost bellowed.

"Pants?" Caroline said incredulously. "You want her to wear pants? Just because she's from Williamsburg doesn't mean she needs to dress like she's-"

"Pants are harder to get off during sex".

"Beth you PUT THOSE PANTS ON RIGHT NOW YOUNG LADY!"

"Oh! My God!" Beth emerged from her bedroom, glaring. "Are you two serious?"

"As a heart attack", Earl nodded, letting himself in. "of which I've had five. Beth, you look lovely".

"Thank you Earl".

"Coming through!" Oleg announced, strolling through the door with a baseball bat propped over his shoulder.

"No". Beth glared, pointing. "No".

"But-"

"No".

"Bethy honey he cares about you", Caroline said soothingly, patting her shoulder.

"Alright, where is the little jerk?" Johnny wanted to know, marching through the door.

Beth grinned. "Hi Johnny". She hugged him quickly and he dropped a kiss to the top of her head.

"Hey kiddo, you scrubbed up nice- pants, I see Max influenced you with that one".

"Johnny!"

"Beth's a good kid", Andy protested.

"Beth's sixteen", Max snapped back.

"Oh my God!"

Sophie appeared in the doorway and Beth groaned out loud. "Oh my God".

"Is he here yet? I haven't missed him?"

"This is not an open invitation for everybody to arrive! Bye!"

"Why are you so much like your mother?" Han wanted to know.

"Max!"

"Han get out".

"Caroline!"

"Max is nice".

"Caroline, can you do-"

"You're finally letting me do your hair!" Caroline almost shrieked excitedly, making Earl jump. She spun Beth around, taking the brush cheerfully.

"Close the door before anyone else gets in", Max said in disgust.

There was a knock at the door and Caroline almost screamed with excitement.

"Alright, everybody, let's just pretend we're a normal family. Everyone just act normal", Beth informed them, standing up to open the door. "We got that?"

"You're here to pick up my daughter?" Max said, the moment Kyle came into view.

"Yes ma'am?"

"Are you asking me or telling me?"

"Oh my GOD". Beth sighed heavily. "Did no one listen? I literally JUST spoke. No more than two seconds ago! Kyle, my family. Family, Kyle. Now that we know each other, we're off".

"Wait a minute young lady", Johnny interrupted, standing next to Max protectively. "Where are you taking her?"

"To the movies".

"When will you be home?"

"Ten?"

"Nine", Earl corrected. "At the latest".

"Earl".

"Darling", he said gently, patting her on the shoulder. "We know what's good for you".

"Max", Beth said desperately.

"I have friends in jail", Max reminded her.

"Goodbye!"

"Make good choices!"

"We will always be watching!"

"Why are you my family?" Beth groaned, taking Kyle's hand and dragging him out of the apartment. "Goodbye!"

"Be safe!"

"Use protection!"

"OH MY GOD!"

The door slammed behind them and Oleg frowned.

"What did we do?"

Max rolled her eyes.


End file.
